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[Solved] Help on Creating Space Between Head and Ear = Prevent Geometry Artifacts?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I am new to ZBrush 4.0. I am trying to clean up a model of a person’s head that was created using Autodesk’s 123D Catch. Upon completion, the model will be 3D printed.

Here you can see that the back of the person’s ear is completely connected to the side of the head, which is not what the back of an ear looks like:

The above mesh has only 24,000 faces. I subdivided it to over 9 million. After that, I tried to use the Standard subtract tool to create a crease behind the hear so that there is some empty space between the ear and the head:

The geometry looks horrible, and this is after extensive smoothing. Why? Is there a tool better suited to creating a crease like this? I assumed that ZBrush’s smooth tool would actually introduce geometry like Maya’s smooth tool, which is what I think I need to do. I am essentially stretching out this small area, so the polygons are being stretched and therefore looking less and less healthy. Even after deleting my subdivision history, I tried to select this area and selectively subdivide it, but it create some monstrous artifact, so that it out the window.

Thank you.

Attachments

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Screen Shot 2012-01-18 at 17.23.16.jpg

#2

Your mesh is composed of all triangles. Any SDS modeler isn’t going to like that. Zbrush is no exception. To achieve an appropriate ear you’re going to have to retopo that section…or the whole thing to make it work correctly. You can try to use dynamesh to achieve this. 3Dcoat also has an auto retopo function that you can give guides to help control it, for something like this I would recommend it.

Once you get a decent set of topology you can project the new set onto your old mesh and then you should be able to sculpt the back of the ear. It looks like your mesh will also need to have the ear interior re-sculpted as well.

#3

Thanks a lot. Clearly, I am not experienced with this. I will expedient with the tools you mentioned.

#4

Yes, ZBrush’s DynaMesh tool is working extremely well. Thank you.